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Description

Error 1824 indicates that MariaDB failed to access or locate a parent table referenced by a foreign key constraint. This typically occurs when attempting operations like `INSERT`, `UPDATE`, or `CREATE TABLE` if the referenced table is missing, inaccessible, or has issues that prevent it from being opened.

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Error Message

Failed to open the referenced table '%s'

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Known Causes

4 known causes

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Referenced Table Missing

The parent table specified in the foreign key constraint does not exist in the database or schema.

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Incorrect Schema/Database Context

The foreign key constraint refers to a table that exists, but it's not in the currently active database or the specified schema.

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Insufficient User Permissions

The database user performing the operation lacks the necessary `SELECT` privileges on the referenced parent table to verify the foreign key constraint.

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Table Corruption or Inaccessibility

The referenced parent table's underlying data files are corrupted or physically inaccessible to the MariaDB server process.

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Solutions

4 solutions available

1. Verify Table Existence and Permissions easy

Ensure the referenced table exists and the user has necessary privileges.

1

Connect to your MariaDB server using a client that has sufficient privileges (e.g., root or a user with DBA rights).

2

Check if the referenced table actually exists in the database. Replace 'your_database_name' and '%s' (the actual table name from the error message) with your specific details.

USE your_database_name;
SHOW TABLES LIKE '%s';

3

If the table exists, verify that the user executing the operation has the necessary privileges (e.g., SELECT, INSERT, UPDATE, DELETE) on that table. Replace 'your_user' and '%s' accordingly.

SHOW GRANTS FOR 'your_user'@'localhost' USING '%s';

4

If privileges are missing, grant them to the user. For example, to grant all privileges on the table:

GRANT ALL PRIVILEGES ON your_database_name.%s TO 'your_user'@'localhost';
FLUSH PRIVILEGES;

2. Check for Table Corruption medium

Diagnose and repair potential corruption in the referenced table.

1

Connect to your MariaDB server.

2

Check the status of the referenced table for any corruption. Replace 'your_database_name' and '%s' with your specific details.

USE your_database_name;
CHECK TABLE %s;

3

If the `CHECK TABLE` command reports any errors or warnings, attempt to repair the table. It's highly recommended to back up your data before performing repairs.

REPAIR TABLE %s;

4

After repair, run `CHECK TABLE` again to confirm the corruption has been resolved.

CHECK TABLE %s;

3. Investigate Foreign Key Constraints medium

Review and potentially adjust foreign key definitions if they point to a non-existent or inaccessible table.

1

Identify which table or constraint is causing the error. The error message might indirectly point to a foreign key operation. You can inspect foreign key definitions.

2

List all foreign keys in the database. This will help you identify which table might be referencing another.

SELECT * FROM information_schema.KEY_COLUMN_USAGE WHERE REFERENTIAL_CONSTRAINT_SCHEMA = 'your_database_name' AND REFERENCED_TABLE_NAME IS NOT NULL;

3

Examine the output for any foreign keys referencing the table mentioned in error message '%s'. Ensure the `REFERENCED_TABLE_NAME` and `REFERENCED_TABLE_SCHEMA` are correct and the referenced table exists.

4

If a foreign key definition is incorrect (e.g., pointing to a table that was dropped or renamed), you may need to drop and re-create the constraint with the correct details. Replace 'your_table_name', 'fk_constraint_name', and '%s' with your specific details.

ALTER TABLE your_table_name DROP FOREIGN KEY fk_constraint_name;
ALTER TABLE your_table_name ADD CONSTRAINT fk_constraint_name FOREIGN KEY (column_name) REFERENCES %s (referenced_column_name);

4. Restart MariaDB Service easy

A simple restart can sometimes resolve transient issues with table access.

1

Log in to your server via SSH or your preferred remote access method.

2

Restart the MariaDB service. The exact command may vary slightly depending on your operating system and MariaDB installation.

sudo systemctl restart mariadb

3

Alternatively, you can use:

sudo service mariadb restart

4

After the service has restarted, try your operation again.

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Related Errors

5 related errors

MariaDB Error 1824: Referenced Table Access Failure